wildfires
Heatwaves: how can Europe make its cities healthier and be better prepared?
Extreme weather events such as heatwaves are no longer merely an environmental concern; they are recognised as a global public health emergency. According to the WHO, approximately 175,000 deaths annually in the European region are linked to extreme heat. As these harmful events become more frequent, affecting both our health and our healthcare system, the ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Roel Vermeulen on extreme weather and the impact on our health
“We should treat extreme weather events as an important health issue in Europe,” says Prof. Roel Vermeulen, professor of Environmental Epidemiology and Exposome Science at the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences at Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Across Europe, we’re seeing more extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires. What are the main ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Juan Picos about solutions against wildfires
How can we make the European landscape more resilient to wildfires? Experts are testing out different prevention strategies on different areas through predictive models and computer simulations. One of them is Prof. Juan Picos from the University of Vigo (Spain), co-coordinator of the cross-border EU-funded FIREPOCTEP+ project. He will speak at the workshop ‘Nature-based solutions ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Ragni Fjellgaard Mikalsen about solutions against wildfires
From innovative seed balls to virtual reality training for firefighters - the large-scale EU Green Deal TREEADS project she was leading with 47-48 partners from 13 to 14 European countries and Taiwan, resulted in 26 different solutions and technologies for integrated fire management and adaptive forest restoration: Dr Ragni Fjellgaard Mikalsen is Senior Research Scientist ...
Solutions to make Europe more resilient to raging wildfires
Fuelled by climate change and a shift in land-use practices, wildfires are increasing in number and intensity across Europe. In fact, last year was the worst year for wildfires in Europe in 20 years, according to an EUMETSAT report. Its authors contribute the intensity of the fires to factors like increasingly dry vegetation, low soil ...